The Federal Government has said that it will make fire liability insurance on all public buildings compulsory.

Worried by the lack of compliance to fire safety rules and fire outbreaks, the Federal Fire Service,  (FFS), and the National Insurance Commission, made the decision.

Controller-General of the (FFS), Dr. Ibrahim Liman, during a courtesy visit to the insurance agency, expressed the need for public building to subscribe to the liability insurance policy for public building. The CG used the opportunity  to highlight the achievements of the Service  under President Muhammadu  Buhari.

He said, “Under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Fire Service  has moved from a Service  having just two dilapidated fire trucks to presently having 106 modern fire trucks; 22 water tankers, 8 rapid intervention and a 54 meters hydraulic platform with the capacity  of fighting fire and carrying out rescue  at the 18th floor of a storey-building; from presence in just Abuja and Lagos to having presence in the 36 states of the federation with personnel and fire fighting equipment, from a Service  of just 600 personnel to 6,512 personnel.

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The Service have so far responded to 3, 555 fire calls, rescued 353 persons and saved property worth 1.351 trillion across the country in 2020 alone.”

The NAICOM boss, Mr Olorundare Sunday Thomas in his response acknowledged the fact that the law enables NAICOM to fund  the activities  of the Fire Service. He said ” We have a regulatory responsibility, the law also enables us to fund  the activities of the Fire Service but because there has not been enough enforcement, the funds are not coming, but the potential is quite huge, this visit has given  opportunity for a better partnership.”

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the FFS, SF Ugo Huan, says that the two agencies resolved amongst other things to commence the enforcement of compulsory public building liability insurance across the country.